On thoughtful comments

It is so easy to read through your favorite blog posts and chime in with a cursory comment such as: “Spot on,” “great post,” “I agree with you 100%” and “Me too.”

The same goes for online communities and forums. While I enjoy reading the actual posts, sometimes the best content is in the comments. It’s the different perspectives and point-of-view that add value while also introducing you to people you may not have otherwise come in contact with.

I can recall a time when I was a very active commenter on my favorite blogs. It comes in waves now based on my workload but I always strive to post something of value. So whenever you see one of my comments, you better believe that I thought about my words before posting them and felt like I had something worth adding.

As a community manager, you come to value comments in a way that is indescribable. I’m sure that bloggers feel that way too. But when you are charged with growing a community, you truly associate the comment with the person’s time. You see the direct correlation because you are painfully aware of the fact that there are so many choices online and you’re grateful that for that moment, you were one of their choices.

Comments yield opportunities

Another reason to be smart about your comments is that you never know who is reading. I’ve gotten great opportunities from comments. It’s nice to get an email from someone indicating that they read your comment on a post and they’d like to interview you for a story or connect with you in some other way. It happens all the time, so you’re actually helping yourself when you do this.

Posting thoughtful comments isn’t hard to do, but it’s much easier when you care about the topic or feel some sort of emotion as a result of what you just read. But even if that emotion is lacking, you can still add quality to the conversation beyond “Spot on” and the others mentioned above.

If you want to get started on improving the quality of your comments, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Post a different perspective with no intention of starting a fight

Explain why you agree with the author

Always post more than one sentence

Quote exactly what you liked and add a bit about why it struck you

Encourage the author to write more and tell them what you’d like to see discussed next

Offer new ideas

I recognize that some of these tips may be painfully obvious, but if they really were, I think we’d see many more thoughtful comments. And if you’re on the receiving end of those comments, be sure to express some gratitude and thank people for their time.

Remember, they could be anywhere else on the web, and the fact that they are with you is something you have to learn to appreciate.

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7 comments

Seriously, it was this bit: “You see the direct correlation because you are painfully aware of the fact that there are so many choices online and you’re grateful that for that moment, you were one of their choices.” That is so true. There are a zillion things vying for peoples’ attention these days. It’s wonderful when they choose to spend a bit of that to respond to something I have written or participate in my site.

It needed to be said, Angela! I always try to think of a comment as standing up at a crowded conference, on the microphone. Is what I have to say worthy of getting up in front of everyone to speak? That visual always stops me from just dashing off a “loved your post” comment.

I agree wholeheartedly with almost everything you have said. My one point of “quibble” is around the statement that “Posting thoughtful comments isn’t hard to do, . . . “. Maybe it’s harder than we think, at least most of us who are active on various social media sites.

My experience tells me that most folks do not participate actively, unless they are doing the wave at a ballgame. In most classes, in online forums, and in general, I always see a smaller group creating most of the content and interaction, while the majority watch or participate at the “Me Too” level you noted.

I do not agree with the 80/20 principle so often noted by others, but numbers aside, the point is clear. I am engaged currently with a 30-day tutorial program to improve my social media usage and knowledge of what’s out there to help me, along with over 200 other people. We are asked to post our responses to daily assignments. This activity is administered by one of the most knowledgeable global thinkers on social learning. The number of active posters who are actually saying anything is probably less than thirty and certainly appears to be under forty.

Hey there John: Thanks for taking the time to post a…wait a minute…THOUGHTFUL comment! I appreciate your visit and your thoughts. You know, you are right. Perhaps I should not have classified it as easy, but it is easier than some people think. You never know what motivates a person to post but thoughtful comments typically come from people who are interested and vested. I’d love to hear more about your program. Why don’t you shoot me an email when you have a few free moments.angela-at-angeladconnor-dot-com. Thanks again for stopping by.

Angela, would you agree that if the people whose comments we value so much, actually knew how much we appreciate them, then they would be inclined to leave more? As you rightly point out, the value we put on the comments is almost indescribable so it is a real art/battle to convey how much we appreciate them. As most of them don’t blog or manage communities themselves they may never truly understand how powerful and valuable their comments are

Hi Daniel: My answer is YES,YES,YES. It sounds like you already knew that. By actively communicating with them and TELLING them that you value the time they took to post, you can really get something started. Thus, the importance of a community manager. And anyone who has been a community manager and seen some success, knows the importance of taking the time to communicate. My position is that there are a million other places they could spend their time online. When they choose you, it must be acknowledged. Thanks for stopping by. And nice to meet you!